demille.thegeneralsdaughter-第59部分

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ing　me　to　believe　that　she　used　civilian　doctors。　There　was；　however；　a　gynecological　report　dating　back　to　her　entrance　physical　at　West　Point；　and　a　doctor　had　noted；　〃H。　imperforatus。〃　I　showed　it　to　Cynthia　and　asked；　〃Does　that　mean　an　intact　hymen？〃
　〃Yes；　intact　and　without　any　opening。　But　it　is　not　absolute　evidence　of　virginity；　though　it's　very　likely　that　nothing　very　big　ever　got　that　far。〃
　〃So　we　can　rule　out　her　father　raping　her　when　she　was　a　young　girl。〃
　〃Well；　pretty　much。　But　we　can't　rule　out　other　forms　of　sex　abuse。〃　She　added；　〃But　what　Colonel　Moore　said　seemed　to　have　the　ring　of　truth。　Whatever　her　father　did　to　her；　he　did　it　to　her　in　her　second　year　at　West　Point；　and　I　doubt　if　he　could　rape　his　twenty…year…old　daughter　at　West　Point　。。。　but　it's　interesting　that　she　was　probably　a　virgin　when　she　got　there。　Any　other　gynecological　reports　in　there？〃
　I　looked　but　saw　none。　I　said；　〃They　are　strangely　missing。　I　suspect　she　used　private　doctors　whenever　she　could。〃
　〃Right。　You　don't　go　that　long　without　seeing　a　gynecologist。〃　She　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃Why　do　I　think　that　whatever　happened　to　her　at　West　Point　was　sexual？〃
　〃Because　it　fits。　Something　to　do　with　an　eye　for　an　eye。〃
　〃We　know　it　had　to　do　with　her　father　。。。　maybe　he　forced　her　on　some　superior　officer；　or　maybe　。。。〃
　〃Right。　We're　getting　close。　But　let's　wait　until　we　know　more。〃　I　gave　the　medical　file　to　Cynthia　and　said；　〃Read　the　psychiatrist's　report　in　the　back　of　the　file。〃
　Specialist　Baker　came　in　and　I　introduced　her　to　Cynthia；　but　they'd　already　met。　I　asked　Baker；　〃What　do　you　think？〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃Who　did　it？〃
　She　shrugged。
　Cynthia　looked　up　from　the　file　and　asked　Baker；　〃A　boyfriend　or　a　stranger？〃
　She　thought　a　moment　and　replied；　〃A　boyfriend。〃　Baker　added；　〃But　she　had　lots　of　them。〃
　〃Really？〃　I　asked　her；　〃Did　anyone　here　in　the　provost　office　or　anyone　else　ask　you　to　give　them　any　information　on　this　case？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Who？〃
　〃Well；　I've　been　taking　calls　for　both　of　you　all　yesterday　and　this　morning；　and　everyone　keeps　asking　questions。　A　Colonel　Moore；　the　victim's　boss；　plus　Colonel　Fowler；　the　post　adjutant；　Major　Bowes；　the　CID　mander；　Police　Chief　Yardley　from　Midland；　and　a　whole　bunch　of　other　people；　including　reporters。　I　wrote　all　the　calls　down　on　the　slips。〃
　〃And　they　were　all　nosy？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　But　I　just　told　them　to　speak　to　either　of　you。〃
　〃Okay。　Tell　me；　did　anyone　here　in　the　provost　marshal's　office　say　anything　to　you　that　we　should　know　about？〃
　Specialist　Baker　understood　the　question；　wrestled　with　it；　and　finally　said；　〃There's　a　lot　of　talk　going　around　here；　a　lot　of　rumors；　gossip；　and　things　that　may　or　may　not　be　true。〃
　〃Right。　I　figured　that　out　already；　Baker。　This　is　privileged　information；　and　I'll　guarantee　you　not　only　anonymity　but　a　transfer　to　anyplace　in　the　universe　you　want　to　go。　Hawaii；　Japan；　Germany；　California。　You　name　it。　Okay？〃
　〃Yes；　sir　。。。〃
　〃Tell　me　first　about　Colonel　Kent。　What's　the　news　around　the　office？〃
　She　cleared　her　throat　and　said；　〃Well　。。。　there　were　always　rumors　that　Colonel　Kent　and　Captain　Campbell　were　。。。〃
　〃Fucking。　We　know　that。　What　else？〃
　〃Well　。。。　that's　about　it。〃
　〃How　long　have　you　been　stationed　here？〃
　〃Only　a　few　months。〃
　〃Do　you　think　he　was　in　love　with　her？〃
　She　shrugged。　〃Nobody　said　that。　I　mean；　you　couldn't　tell　because　they'd　be　real　cool　when　they　were　together。　But　you　could　sort　of　tell　something　was　going　on。〃
　〃She'd　e　here　to　his　office？〃
　〃Sometimes；　usually　during　the　day。　At　night；　he'd　go　to　her　office。　The　MP　patrols　would　see　his　car　heading　to　the　Psy…Ops　School；　and　they'd　radio　a　niner…niner…you　know；　all　points…and　say　something　like　'Randy　Six　is　inbound　to　Honey　One。'　It　was　sort　of　a　joke；　you　know；　but　Colonel　Kent　monitored　his　own　car　radio；　for　sure；　and　he　figured　out　that　these　made…up　call　signs　referred　to　him　and　Captain　Campbell；　but　the　callers　never　ID…ed　themselves　and　always　disguised　their　voice；　so　he　couldn't　do　anything　about　it。　I　don't　think　he　would　have　done　anything　anyway；　because　that　would　just　make　the　rumors　worse。〃　She　added；　〃You　can't　get　away　with　much　on　a　small　base；　and　with　the　MPs；　they　see　a　lot　of　what's　going　on　like　that；　but　if　it's　not　against　the　law；　or　against　regulations；　they　don't　make　too　much　of　it；　especially　if　it　has　to　do　with　ranking　officers。〃　She　added；　〃Especially　if　it's　the　boss。〃
　Well；　I　was　glad　I　asked。　I　had　another　question。　〃Baker；　Captain　Campbell　was　the　post　duty　officer　on　the　night　she　was　murdered。　You　know　that？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Was　it　Colonel　Kent's　habit　to　work　late　on　those　nights　when　Captain　Campbell　had　night　duty？〃
　〃Well　。。。　that's　what　I　hear。〃
　〃Do　you　know　if　Colonel　Kent　was　here　on　the　night　she　was　murdered？〃
　〃He　was。　I　wasn't　here；　but　the　word　going　around　is　that　he　left　the　office　about　1800　hours　and　returned　about　2100　hours；　then　worked　until　about　midnight；　then　left。　The　personnel　who　were　on　duty　said　he　was　spotted　in　his　staff　car　cruising　past　the　Post　Headquarters；　then　he　went　up　to　Bethany　Hill　where　he　lives。〃
　〃I　see。　And　was　it　mon　knowledge　that　Mrs。　Kent　was　out　of　town？〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　it　was。〃
　〃And　I　assume　at　least　one　MP　patrol　cruises　Bethany　Hill　each　evening。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　At　least　one　each　night。〃
　〃And　what　was　the　word　on　Randy　Six　that　night？〃
　She　suppressed　a　smile。　〃Well　。。。　no　visitors；　and　no　one　saw　his　staff　car　leave　the　driveway　all　night。　But　he　could　have　left　in　his　POV　and　no　one　noticed。〃
　Or　he　could　have　used　his　wife's　car；　though　I　didn't　see　any　car　in　his　driveway　when　I　drove　past　this　morning。　But　there　was　a　garage　out　to　the　rear　of　the　property。　I　said　to　Baker；　〃You　understand　the　nature　of　these　questions？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。〃
　〃This　will　not　bee　part　of　the　office　conversations。〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃Okay；　thanks。　Have　someone　send　in　coffee　and　donuts　or　something。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　She　turned　and　left。
　Cynthia　and　I　sat　in　silence　a　moment；　then　she　said；　〃That　was　a　good　idea。〃
　〃Thanks；　but　I　can't　place　a　lot　of　confidence　in　office　scuttlebutt。〃
　〃But　this　is　MP　Headquarters。〃
　〃True。〃　I　said；　〃You　see　why　I'm　annoyed　at　Kent。　The　stupid　bastard　has　bee　a　laughingstock　in　his　own　mand。〃
　〃I　see　that。〃
　〃I　mean；　forget　morality　if　you　want。　You　never；　never　diddle　where　you　work。　People　laugh。〃
　〃I'll　bet　they　laughed　at　us　in　Brussels　and　Falls　Church。〃
　〃I'm　certain　they　did。〃
　〃How　embarrassing。〃
　〃Right。　I　hope　you　learned　your　lesson。〃
　She　smiled；　then　looked　at　me。　〃What　were　you　trying　to　establish　with　Baker？　That　Kent　is　the　butt　of　office　jokes？〃
　I　shrugged。
　She　said；　〃The　distance　from　Bethany　Hill　to　rifle　range　six　is　about　five　or　six　miles。　You　could　drive　there　in　under　ten　minutes；　even　if　you　did　the　last　few　miles　without　lights；　because　there　was　bright　moonlight　that　night。〃
　〃The　thought　had　occurred　to　me。　And　you　could　drive　from　Beaumont　House　to　range　six　in　a　little　over　ten　minutes；　if　you　pushed　it。〃
　She　nodded。　〃Facts　to　keep　in　mind。〃　She　looked　at　the　medical　file　in　front　of　her　and　said；　〃What　do　you　make　of　this　psychiatrist's　report？〃
　I　replied；　〃Ann　Campbell　had　suffered　some　sort　of　trauma　and　wasn't　sharing　it　with　anyone。　What　do　you　think？〃
　〃Same。　There's　not　much　to　go　on　in　this　report；　but　I'd　guess　that　the　problem　was　not　stress　or　fatigue；　but　a　single　event　that　traumatized　her　and　led　somehow　to　her　betrayal　by　her　father。　In　other　words；　Daddy　was　not　there　for　her　when　whatever　happened；　happened。　Does　that　all　fit？〃
　〃Seems　to。〃　I　thought　a　moment；　then　said；　〃I　keep　thinking　that　it's　sexual；　and　that　it's　something　to　do　with　a　guy　who　had　one　or　two　more　stars　than　Daddy；　and　that　Daddy　backed　off　and　convinced　his　daughter　to　do　the　same。〃
　〃Something　like　that。〃
　I　added；　〃We　have　to　get　her　service　academy　file；　but　I　would　not　be　at　all　surprised　if　we　found　it　contained　nothing　relevant　to　what　Moore　said。〃
　The　coffee　came　in　a　big　stainless…steel　galley　pitcher；　with　a　plastic　tray　of　donuts；　cold；　stale；　and　greasy。　Cynthia　and　I　dug　in　and　talked